Crate handling means



Sept- 1936- o. o. EATON I CRATE HANDLING MEANS Filed Dec. 9, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 N OW W .QRQ @NK I v 1 7 1.. p.141. 1

A 1' razz/vz/ Patented Sept. 1, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICIE 2,052,9 8 I V 4 1 g CRATE HANDLING MEANS Orrin 0. Eaton, near Watsonville, Calif. Application December 9, measure! No. 53,511

3 Claims.

The present invention is herein disclosed as applied particularly to the carrying and positioningof lettuce crates although the method may be applied equally as well to other commodities.

in preparing lettuce for the packer it must first pass through the hands of the sorters who discard the unmarketable heads and trim the others to any extent that may seem necessary. It has heretofore been customary to present the lettuce to the sorters in small crates, or through the medium of small crates, a method requiring a considerable amount of manual labor, that is detrimental to the lettuce itself, and that is not conducive to the best working conditions.

It is one object of my invention, therefore, to provide means whereby loaded crates may be quick-ly 'andeasily "moved into position convenient 'to the sorters and quickly and easily removed from said position when empty.

It is another object to provide means of the character indicated whereby the contents of the loaded crates will not be disturbed until removed by the sorters.

It is still another object of the invention to provide means of the character indicated whereby loaded crates too heavy for manual handling may be quickly and easily moved into position by the sorters.

It is also an object of the invention to provide means whereby a smooth and uniform flow of loaded crates may be maintained with a minimum of manual efiort.

Finally, it is an object of the invention to provide means of the character indicated that is economical to manufacture, simple in form and construction, strong, durable, and highly eflicient in its practical application.

In the particular embodiment of the invention herein disclosed,-

Figure 1 is a front elevation of an assembly of units embodying my invention, parts being broken away.

Figure 2 is a plan View of the several distributor units shown in Figure 1, with parts broken away.

Figure 3 is a side elevation, greatly enlarged, of one of the distributor units shown in Figure 1 with the cooperating crate carrier shown in section.

Figure 4 is a detail illustration showing a means for supporting the crate carrier.

The assembly as a whole comprises any required number of distributor units A arranged in parallel and spaced relation to each other as shown, each unit being disposed adjacent a floor chute 1, and a carrier for empty crates disposed above the several units and extending lengthwise of the row which they form.

Each unit A comprises a low, oblong frame as indicated at 2, one end of the frame ex- 5 tending above the general upper level thereof to-form a guiding flange as shown at 3.

At 4 are shown a number of rollers journaled in that portion of the frame carrying the flange 3 as at 5 and disposed at right angles to said 1 flange and to lie in a horizontal plane below the upper edge of said flange.

At 6 is shown a table tiltably mounted on the frame 2 as at 1, its axis of rotation being disposed at right angles to the axes of rotation 15 of the rollers 4. The table has any required number of rollers 8 journaled therein as at 9 and in the end adjacent the rollers 4. The axes of rotation of the rollers 8 are disposed at right angles to the axes of rotation of rollers 4 and 20 in the same plane whereby objects may be readily transferred from one set of rollers to the other. That portion of the table lying between the rollers 8 and its forward end is provided with members as In along which an object may 5 slide, the said forward end being provided with an upstanding flange as H to limit the forward movement of said object.

The pivotal mounting of table 6 is disposed forwardly of its center so that it is unbalanced, its rear end normally resting on stops or supports as l2 on frame 2 which normally maintain the table in a horizontal plane.

It is obvious, of course, that when a weight is placed upon the forward end portion of the table it will swing downwardly, and this downward movement is limited by means of stops as I3 mounted thereon and engaging the frame 2 as at Id.

In positioning the complete unit A it is arranged so that its vertical median plane will bisect the chute l, and with the frame 2 spaced from the chute a suitable distance as Hi.

It may now be readily seen that a large and heavy crate as l6 filled with lettuce from the field may be easily rolled into position on rollers 4, and then when desired moved at right angles on to the rollers 8 as indicated by arrows I1 and [8 respectively. As the crate is advanced on the table 6 it reaches a position where its weight automatically overbalances the table and it assumes the position shown in dotted lines at 19. While in this position the operators, standing one on each side of the chute I, have easy access to its contents which they remove and operate upon as 35 when the said table is tilted so that the empty crates may be easily swung from the table to said desired, dropping the discarded material into the chute and placing the trimmed heads on receiving means not shown.

In order to provide for the prompt removal 01' the empty crate I provide a travelling belt 20 on supporting means 2| having an upstanding flange 22 along its rear edge and carried by brackets or hangers as 23 mounted on the framework 24 of the building in which it is placed. This belt is spaced above the units A sufiiciently to permit operators to walk thereunder.

When the crate is empty it is only necessary for the two operators to slide it upwardly on the table 6, giving it sufiicient momentum so that it may be easily swung upwardly and over on to the travelling belt as indicated by the arrow 25. As soon as the weight of the crate is removed from the table it automatically drops back into a horizontal position ready to receive another full; crate as hereinbefore described.

The construction and arrangement of the several parts is such that a smooth uninterrupted flow of full crates may bemaintained at all times, an attendant immediately advancing the line of full crates on the several roller assemblies 4 when any-full crate is-moved on to a table 6. It is to be noted that while the several units A are spaced far enough apart to permit operators to pass freely between the same they are close enough 'to' permit the crates to slide freely from one to another.

The carrier assembly for-the empty crates is preferably so positioned that the edge opposite the flange 22 lies substantially in the plane of table 6 carrier.

posed relative thereto and communicating therewith to receive loaded crates therefrom, and an elevated carrier mounted adjacent the table with one edge lying substantially in the plane of' the table when tilted to receive the unloaded crate s.

2. Crate handling means comprising, in combination, a row of similar crate handling units aligned in spaced relation to each other, each unit having means providing a path of travel for loaded crates extending in one direction and aligned with'the corresponding path of travel of allof the other units, and the spacing between the several paths of travel being less than the length of a crate to permit sliding a crate directly from one to the other, each unit having a tiltable unloading table angularly disposed relative thereto and communicating therewith to receive the loaded crates therefrom and to tilt the crate for unloading,

and an elevated carrier mounted adjacent the several tables to receive unloaded crates.

3. Crate handling means comprising, in combination, a tiltable unloading table and an elevated carrier mounted adjacent the table with one edge lying substantially in the plane of the table when tilted to receive unloaded crates therefrom.

QRRIN 'O. EATON. 

